Improvement in apparatus for the continuous distillation of hydrocarbon oils



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. RYDER. Apparatus for thel Continuous Distllation of Hydrocarbon Oils. No. 214,199. i Patented April 8,1879..

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ma nU /JWITJVESSES -UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

WATSON RYDER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA'.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION 0F 'HYDRQCARBON OILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2l/1,199, dated April 8, 1879; application Ilcd l February 7, 1879.

To all twhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WATSON RYDER, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Im provements in Apparatus for the Continuous Distillation of Hydrocarbon or other Oils, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this speci- Figure 1A is a perspective view of 'an apparatus for refining petroleum, constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on lineal of Fig. 3. Fig. Sis

'a plan. Fig. 41s a longitudinal section on line y y of Fig. 3.

In stills ot' the ordinary construction for rcining petroleum, &c., the carbonaceous and other residuum has been deposited on the surface of that portion of the bottom of the still immediately over that exp'se'd to the direct action ot' the ame in the lire-chamber, these deposits accumulating so rapidly and becoming so hard as to form abarrier for preventing the full transmission of the heat to the oil in the still, and consequently the top of the fur- .nace (or bottom of the still) is frequently injur-ed or burned so asA to be rendered useless.

These difficulties havebeen avoided by the still described in Letters Patent No. 142,515; but its construction is also objectionable, for the following reasons7 viz: The sides and top Vof the tire-chamber or furnace, though formed of straight inclined lines projecting up at the center of the bottom of the still to form side as to project up above the level of the bottom of the sides ofthe still, in combination with a grate placed at or near the level of the bottom of the sides, whereby the desired pockets are formed for the collection of the deposits without accumulating at points immediately over the tire, the form of the root' ot' the furnace being such as to vafford the greatest strength for resisting the pressure from above and best adapted to allow the heat to be absorbed by the contents of the still, which, in connection with the location of the grateand of cold-air iiues ot' peculiar construction, prevent the top and curved sides of the firecham ber from bein gburned, warped, or otherwise injured, the low position of the grate admitting of alarge area for the fire-chamber, and being at a convenient heightto suppl y fuel theretoafeature of importance in this class of stills, where they are necessarily elevated, in order to locate the tar-condenser or drawing-ott' apparatus below the still.

My invention also consists in aperforated supply-pipe, led longitudinally over the top or crown of the furnace, by which the oil is conducted from a continuous supply in sprays upon the hottest surfaces and immediately vaporized, the carbonaceous matter-Rowing down the curved root' of the furnace into the pockets or channels at the bottom of the sides `of the still; and my invention consists, furtherlnore, in combination with each of the/pockets or channels at the sides ofthe bottom of the still, of an outlet-pipe, to allow ot the drawing-ofi' or escape of the residuary matter bci'ore it becomes hard and while thelire is burn ing, the supply continuously iiowing and the still evaporating its oily contents, these outletpipes being controlled by stop-cooks, which may be opened periodically, or so regulated as to remain open at all times to allow of the continual How of the deposit, bywhich construction I am enabled to run the still continuously, and thus avoid the expense, delay, and injury incident to the construction of stills wherethe contents are emptied by evaporation and the lire required to be drawn to remove the (leposits.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A A are two supplytanks, into which the oil from the cars is pumped, these tanks being` heated by steam passing through pipes n. from the boiler l,

one tank is su plying the still the other tank isfieing heate and prepared to supply itthere-' a er.

- The oil in the still D is vaporized without intermission, and the distillate passes contin ually into a receiving-tank, ready for further treatment.

The residuum is continuously formed and d'eposited in the pockets c, and in its liquidstate is constantly drawn olf through a wormv in a condenser, E, whereby itis cooled to such a degree `as -not 'to ignite when exposed to the atmosphere; and from this condenser E the tar is conducted to a receiver below.

1n case the specific gravity of the tar is not snliciently reduced,it is conducted into a low tar-still, F, having a high dome or chamber, d, each (the lower portion and the chamber of the still) being provided with an independent worm vaporizing-pipe, whereby two grades of product are obtained.

As this tar-distilling apparatus will forlh the'subjeetfmatter of a future application for a patent to be made by me, it is unnecessary to enter into a further description of it here.

G is the curved arch-shaped tire-chamber, projecting up above the bottom of the sides or pockets c of the still into which the residnum collects, and e is the grate located at or near the level of the bottoms of 'such pockets.

f is a pipe perforated on its under side, and extending from the supply-tank longitudinally over and in close proximity to the top or crown of the rechamber G, whereby a continuous supply of oil s'allowed to flow down upon the hottest surfaces, where it is immediately Vvaporized, andthe carbonaceous matter deposited on the curved surface of the sides of the pockets c, and -allowed to descend to the bottom of the still, where-it is drawn ofi' through a continuous supplyof oil, a continuous evap o r'ation, and a continuons discharge ofthe reslduunl being kept up without drawing the fire. The draft in front of the furnace carries the heat under the whole length of 'th'e still, then up a flue, i, at its back, then through a series of hot-air tubes, k, to the front, from which 'it is carried up under and over a spreader or diffuser, H, and back through an upper series of tubes, l, to the chimney-line I, thus distributing and circulating -the heat throughout the entire mass of the oil. Where the still is not run continuously these tubes are liable to burn out, and cannot therefore be used to advantage,`as when the oil leaves them they are unduly exposed to 'the fire; but as 1 run my still ycontinuously' it 'is always full, thus protecting the tubes. l

Inside each wall m of the furnace rises a longitudinal partition, 7c, which not only supports the arch midway at each sidekand enables it to withstand the great weight which would be brought tobear on it, but also forms, in

connection withthe lower portion of thewall m, an air-chamber, n, for the passage of vcool air, which prevents the sediment bein nnduly heated, .another air-chamber, ,12, eing formed on the outside of eachpocket c, for the same purpose, whereby the wall is prevented from being heated toa high degree, and becoming warped, burned, or collapsed.

I am aware that a fire-chamber vor furnace having straight inclined sides, and a grate yplaced above the level of, the bottom of the sides or pockets of tliedistilling apparatus,

.has been employed, as set forth in Letters tofore in connection with other constructions of stills differing materially from mine; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to.secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The curved arch-shaped furnace G, provided with the partitions-K, forming an airchamber, n in combination-with the aircham ber p, outside the sau, for keeping the pocket c cool, substantially as described.

2. The longitudinal perforated pipe f, in combinationwith a curved arch-shaped rechamber, G, inner and outer cold-air lines, n p, and the grate e, located at or near the bottom of the pockets o of the still, substantially as and for the purpose described.'

In 'witness whereof I have set my hand this 7th day of February, 1879.

A WATSON RYDER.` In presence of` N. W. STEARNS, Guns. W. A. SrEAaNs. 

